


Sunsets and Spiral Energy

by Sapphire_Princess



Series: Conversations and Spiral Energy [2]
Category: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
Genre: Actually talking about things, Happy Ending, M/M, Other characters mentionned, Romance, Simon/viral - Freeform, Spiral Energy, past Simon/nia, post series/movie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-11
Updated: 2014-11-11
Packaged: 2018-02-25 01:08:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2602958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sapphire_Princess/pseuds/Sapphire_Princess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Things are better, much more settled and comfortable between them and they're the happiest they've both been in a very long time. Viral's been doing some thinking and wonders if now is the time to ask Simon why he hasn't really aged in 14 years. He's sure he knows but doesn't want another unspoken thing coming between them again in the future.<br/>T/M rated just to be safe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sunsets and Spiral Energy

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, it belongs to GAINAX. No money has or will exchange hands over this story as it was written for entertainment value. All original storylines do belong to me.
> 
> Authors Note: I hadn’t planned to come back to this universe at all, but then an anonymous reviewer asked how Viral had felt after the end of Aprons and Conversations and I started to think about it from time to time. I’ve also recently gotten hold of the new super shiny box set of Gurren Lagann plus movies etc and after watching though some of it again, I found myself writing this.
> 
> For Fyria - because somehow she is responsible for this series of stories - and my anonymous reviewer, I hope you find this and I hope you enjoy it. Also to all those who left a Kudos or comment on Aprons and Conversations, thank you!
> 
> There is one use of the F word in this, aside from that I don't think there is any other swearing.

“I thought I might find you up here, is everything okay?” Simon asked, climbing to the top of the ladder they’d carved into the stone when they’d built their home.

Viral nodded, he was looking out on the horizon, legs over the ledge that lead back inside and hands resting on the rock on each side of him. He was thinking, had been for some time and though the sun was just about to set, he had been sat there since the middle of the afternoon.  
Simon’s shadow blocked out the light as he sat down next to him but he didn’t say anything else. Their view was sheltered on one side, just enough that the wind from this high up couldn’t blow them over and down into the pool below. It was well designed, but then again, Simon had once been a digger before anything else and construction came naturally.

Simon would berate him for not giving himself enough credit if he said that out loud, it was a joint effort after all.

“You’re early,” Viral said at last.

“Well, there wasn’t too much to see. Once I’d gotten everything, I just decided to come home.” Viral could see Simon shrug out of the corner of his eye, he was pretending to be casual about it all but Viral appreciated the effort.

Simon shuffled along the ledge until he was sat a little closer and Viral smiled, placing a hand on top of his. He’d only been gone just over 2 days and wasn’t expected back until the morning.

It had been months since they’d reached a new understanding and although Viral had only needed to be away for one of those, he’d missed Simon keenly. It had surprised him, as had the relief when he’d landed planet side and seen his friend waiting for him. Simon had been hiding in plane sight,but out of the way enough for no one but Viral to notice he was there. Viral had attended the de brief for as long as he had been needed before making a swift exit with Simon and heading home.  
That was a week or so ago and they’d settled back into their usual routine since then.

“Did you stop and see Yoko?” Viral asked.

“No, not this time. The new term’s started so she’s not on the mainland. I think she still wants to visit us though.”

“Invite her, it would be good to see her,” Viral admitted, closing his eyes to savour the warmth of Simon besides him. He’d moved closer again and Viral moved their now joined hands to his lap. Simon’s hands still felt small inside his, but the strength hadn’t waned, a constant source of reassurance.

“Really?” Simon sounded - and looked - unsure.

“I really don’t mind.”

“You don’t?”

Viral shook his head and squeezed Simon’s hand. “No, she’s our friend and I’ve barely seen in her for at least a year, I know we went to see her for a few days before my last mission but before that I can’t remember the last time I saw her in person. Besides, I need to get her something for her birthday and it’ll be easier to give it to her than to post it.” Simon still looked perplexed though. “Why? Would it bother you if she visited?” Viral couldn’t think why it would.

“No, not really. It’s just… no one else besides Boota has seen this place.”

“Where is he anyway?” Viral asked, looking around for the pigmole.

“Airing cupboard, asleep on the towels, but Viral, are you sure this is okay.”

Viral turned to look at Simon, he did seem a little tense.

“I thought it was, but now I’m confused, is there something you don’t want her to see? Yoko will respect our privacy, she always has before.” And they had a spare room they’d furnished and then never used.

Simon nodded, but dropped his gaze down to their hands.

“Simon, she does know about us,” Viral said gently, wondering if that was the problem.

“I know, I know she does.” He didn’t sound sad or ashamed, which only served to leave Viral more confused.

He was tired, he’d spent enough time thinking that afternoon already.

Simon sighed. “It’s just…. and I know it’s selfish, but I like having somewhere to hide, somewhere no one knows how to find us… not on a map anyway.” Viral nodded. “I’m happy with the life we have here, but I…”

“Don’t want to share it?”

“Maybe. I don’t know, I visit Yoko all the time and I know you call her and see her when you can but it’s strange to think of her being here, in our home.”

She was the only person they’d really kept in touch with. Viral still saw Darry and Gimmy as part of his work duties but he, along with Simon, avoided anyone else that they didn't have to see. Viral knew that Simon had intended to live as a traveling recluse after the loss of Nia, which was how they had accidentally been reunited, Viral had been taking a break away from his new responsibilities and choices and Simon, Simon had been wandering aimlessly, heartbroken and wary.  
Even now, in the time that Viral was away, Simon still traveled their planet, visited Yoko and wandered the lands. But now and for the last few years, he had a place to come home to. Simon seemed more settled, calmer within himself - especially within the last few months - they had found a balance between them that meant they both had what they wanted, inside of and outside of each other.

“She’ll understand if we ask her to meet us somewhere else,” Viral told him, leaning in to Simon when he felt his hand wiggled free of his grasp and his arm slide around him instead. He turned his head and nestled his nose into Simon’s hair, it smelt of wild flowers and strong winds, pleasant and familiar.

“Maybe, but there’s no harm in it really, her being here.” He sighed again and Viral placed his arm around Simon’s back. “And I don’t want her to feel unwelcome, she can come during the school holidays, it’ll give me enough time to get used to it.” Simon looked up at Viral. “When do you have to go back?” he asked him, he kissed the corner of Viral’s jaw then rested his head against his.

“I don’t.” He tried to sound casual but he didn’t think it had worked.

Simon stiffened next to him and he closed his eyes.

“What?”

“I don’t have to go back, not if I don’t want to,” Viral said calmly, more so than he felt.

“What happened?” Simon asked, turning slightly to face him in the dying light of the evening.

“Nothing, the mission was fine - successful - they congratulated me on a job well done and I came back home with you.”

“But something’s happened since then.”

Viral nodded, wishing he’d been able to finish thinking this through, that his thoughts were ordered enough to talk about it with Simon.

“Do you want to head inside?” Simon asked, he looked unsure and Viral didn’t blame him. He wasn’t sure either. Because if they went inside, they would probably have to talk about it.

“Did you bring dinner?” he asked instead.

Simon nodded, “It was going to be a surprise, should be ready in about half an hour.”

Viral raised his eyebrows and Simon leaned closer. “You’re okay though?”

He nodded and kissed Simon, eyes closed and lips soft. His stubbled was light, barely there but it grazed Viral as they moved their mouths together, left his skin tingling and made him smile when they parted to head back down into their home.

***

Dinner was roasted… something… Simon had told him that all he knew was it was edible and from a good butcher, who had shown him a picture of an animal he had seen, but still couldn't name. Viral had accepted it gratefully, along with the heap of vegetables and the gravy he had poured on the plate. Despite his immortality, he did still need to eat, he could stop, but death wouldn’t come. He had tried it once, a time he still wasn’t proud of, but he hadn’t coped well with prison.  
Simon was regarding him carefully, he hadn’t said anything during their meal but he had looked like he wanted to.  
Viral almost wished he would, he didn’t know how to start it himself. But he knew Simon was just giving him the space he thought he wanted, he’d probably head aback out into the night if Viral asked him to.

“They said they want to send someone else next time,” he said at last, then took a large mouthful of fruit pie.

Simon’s eyebrows arched but he finished his drink before he spoke.

“Why?” He looked disbelieving and Viral could only agree with him.

“They don’t… they don’t want to ‘overuse me’, they don’t want me to be too well known.”

Simon rolled his eyes. “Was this Rossiu? I don’t mind coming out of hiding to beat some sense into him.” Viral believed him, he would also pay to see it.

“I don’t think so, not exclusively. They said until the fleet was bigger that I wasn’t needed, they don’t want my status too well known.”

“What did you tell them?”

“That that was the point. No secrets, nothing hidden, aside from you,” he explained and drank the last of his water. No one in the government knew he was living with Simon, they didn’t even have his address - because there wasn’t one - they had a postal box in the nearest town and his contact details for electronic messages and conversations.

“Apparently I’m well known enough within the systems we’ve visited so far and I’ll be welcome on any ships that head further out, if I want to go with them.”

“Hmm. It’s been fourteen years since the final battle, I wonder why they’ve changed their mind now?”

Viral shrugged. “I don’t know. Gimmy and Darry called this morning, they said they were told the same thing, that for a while they can work on the ground, improve the Grapearl project at the base rather than pilot.”

Simon’s eyes shot to his at that. “Does Gimmy still have the original core drill?”

Viral nodded, “He doesn’t let it out of his sight. Only Darry and I know it’s the original. They do think they know why we’ve been asked to step aside though, but it’s only a theory.”

“Go on.”

“They think it might be because no one wants the constant reminder of the war anymore, we’re well known members of the space force, all three of us - and anyone who was part of the Gurren Brigade. They said there has been talk of quieting that down, letting the peaceful nature of our mission become more well known without us.”

“Incase people are scared of war?” Simon asked, Viral nodded. “That’s ridiculous, all those systems, all those planets saw us make that promise, do they think we’d just stop fourteen years or so down the line?” Simon rolled his eyes. “Well, say the word and I’ll pay Rossiu a late night visit in his office.”

Viral smiled, just for moment finding enjoyment out of the prospect. It was still hard to respect him, even harder to work with him, even if he had proved himself again and again.

“You know I can’t do that.”

Simon smiled. “No, you shouldn’t. You can and so can I, even if I don’t want to. If it ever looks like they’ve forgotten why we did what we did, then we’ll step in.”

Viral looked at Simon closely for a moment, assessing him and wondered if there was something else there.

“What?”

“We’ll?”

Simon nodded. “The remaining members of the Dai-Gurren Brigade. I think Gimmy and Darry will be the first to say something, but we can go in as back up - Yoko would too.”

It wasn’t the answer Viral had been expecting and he felt relieved, he settled back in his seat and let out a long breath.

“If and when I go back it’ll only be for small missions, they threatened me with a promotion and a desk,” Viral explained.

“For how long?”

“At least a couple of years. I don’t want a desk job. It’s just another way to keep me in check, it’s not why I do my job.”

“What are Gimmy and Darry going to do?”

“Work on perfecting the current fleet, maintain Gurren Lagann. They at least have work they can do. I’m no good if I’m not out there.” He pointed upwards and looked from their dining table, past the sofas and large glass windows of their home, to the night sky and it’s vast array of stars.

“I would disagree with that,” Simon said gently. “Though I know what you mean.”

Viral nodded, but looked down at his empty plate in front of him.

“If you want some time to think I can leave you to it,” Simon offered, standing and collecting the plates.

“You don’t have to leave,” Viral told him and Simon looked at him strangely, cocking his head a little to the left.

“I wasn’t going to, I was going to wash up, then head to bed.”

“Oh.” He looked to the ground. “Sorry.”

Simon chuckled and walked back over to him, placed his hands on his shoulders and squeezed. “I’m not going anywhere, take as long as you need.”  
Viral brought his arms up around Simon and held him close and tightly for a few minutes, breathing in the scent of him and soaking up his reassurances both spoken and not. Simon was warm and comforting and Viral’s confused thoughts abated, if only for a short time.

“I’ll be on the roof,” Viral told him when they released each other. Simon nodded and went back to the sink to clean up after their dinner.

***  
The stars were beautiful and seemingly limitless in number. He was wrapped in warm blankets and sat resting against the stone behind him, strong and true, cool and solid. In the day it protected them from the wind and at night it was a place to rest against. It had been tested extensively by them both over the years, but tonight Viral just needed it to keep him steady as he watched the stars move slowly across the sky.

He missed them, now more so than any other time because he knew how long it would be until he was amongst them once more. The Earth was not a prison, but it felt as though he was being held there anyway. His life was endless and it stretched out before him, daunting and terrifying at the same time. Being up there meant an eternity of possibilities - always with a home to return to, as long as Simon remained at least.  
He could stay earth side, wander the planet with Simon by his side, coming back to their home when it suited them and seeing everything it had to offer. Then head back out into space like he had been doing, a month or so amongst the stars at a time.

That was fine, it was possible and he was sure Simon would welcome his company, he could also head off on his own, see Yoko and where she worked, wander aimlessly like Simon had been.

Simon, always Simon. For the past however many years his thoughts and he himself had always ended up back with him. But he wondered how long exactly that would be possible for. Simon hadn’t aged a day in fourteen years, but he still slept, still had to eat. Viral opted for sleep when things became too much, but he could - and had - gone far longer than a week without it. Simon couldn’t.  
What did it mean?

He could ask of course, it would probably be better if he did. Their last difficult discussion (argument) had been resolved, even if Viral had spent most of it certain that it would be the end of them, that Simon would realise this wasn’t what he wanted and walk away. That hadn’t happened and things had been so, so much better since. Viral knew where he stood, that what they had meant something to them both and was important enough to keep and to work on.  
It was a silly thing to want clarifying, Simon probably assumed he already knew why he wasn’t ageing and Viral was pretty sure it was because of him, or the fate of spiral beings… maybe both… this was why he needed to talk to Simon about it now, before it became a big deal. Before something else happened, like it had done that morning, to make him consider it and worry over it.

It never did either of them any good.

He took off the blankets and folded them back up, left them where he had been sitting and headed back down the ladder. The waterfall rolled on across from him as he descended and he stopped by the edge of the deep pool to watch it for a moment. The spot lights had been a good idea, lighting up the ever flowing water and scattering light around the cave and their home. He could see the curtains open in their room on the mezzanine floor, which meant Simon wouldn’t be asleep. He didn’t like to sleep with them open, even if he still found it strange when Viral shut their bedroom door. It didn’t matter if their home was always locked down like a fortress, privacy and intimacy were important.

He made his way back inside, smiling when he saw boota asleep and curled up amongst the sofa cushions. Boota hadn’t aged either, though Viral had always put that down to whatever special skills or powers the pigmole had. Simon hadn’t so much found him as the other way around and it had always made Viral wonder, who was looking after who.

He made a detour to the bathroom to get ready for bed then slipped inside the bedroom door, closing it behind him and smiling when Simon rolled over to face him.

“I wasn’t expecting you until the morning, if at all,” he admitted, though Viral had already realised that. He walked past the bed and closed the curtains, took off everything besides his bed shorts and got into bed.

Simon rolled over to face him again and Viral reached out to him.

He was delaying his questions and he knew it but Simon was warm and pliant against him, moulding his body against Viral’s and letting him hold on for as long as he needed to. He already knew part of was bothering him, it was time Viral told him about the rest.

“Simon?” They were still close, but not close enough that they couldn’t face each other.

Simon looked at him and Viral let himself be open to it, half hoped that he would know what was wrong just by looking, but it was rarely that easy.

“We don’t have to talk about this now, we can wait until morning,” he offered.

Viral shook his head and sat up, his heart was starting to race and his mind followed after it.

Simon placed both his hands over one of his. “We can head back out side if it’s easier?”

Viral blinked and looked down at him. “It probably doesn’t matter anyway.”

“It does, whatever it is, it does. Come on.” Simon climbed out of bed and dressed and waited while Viral did the same. He didn’t protest when Simon took his hand as they walked through their house back to the door, along the waterfall path and back up the ladder. Boota had watched them go and made a noise of encouragement, before falling back to sleep.

***  
When they were outside again, Simon went straight for the blankets and wrapped the largest around them both.

“Whatever it is, you can tell me,” Simon told him, sitting closely under the blanket, their shoulders and arms pressed together as they turned their gaze to the sky.

“I could have told you in bed.”

“You weren’t comfortable.” He wasn’t comfortable out there either, not really, but he was more settled and he understood what Simon meant.

He sighed. “Simon?”

“Yes?”

“You haven't aged in fourteen years,” Viral said at last, he knew there was no right way to say it and no correct way to ask.

“Twelve actually,” Simon told him, gaze focussed on the millions of stars above them.

“Oh.”

Simon let out a huff of amusement. “Is this because of what I said before? I thought you were worried about your position.” He didn’t sound bothered by their conversation, just a bit confused.

“I was, I still am, but I can go back when they want me. Might even do me some good to see this world, with you, if you’ll have me.”

Simon turned to him and fixed him with a serious expression. “Always, Viral.”

He could only nod, not sure of what to say - not sure of how to ask what it all meant but after a few minutes, Simon started to talk.

“I realised I could do it a long time ago, not just for myself but for those around me, everyone besides Nia and the other beastmen.” His voice dipped on her name but he carried on anyway. “I think I even managed to keep Kamina alive for longer than he should have been, or brought him back…. I couldn’t have understood it at the time but I’ve had a lot of time to think on my travels and it’s one of the things I realised.”

Viral remembered that battle, what he had been around for anyway, but he hadn’t been there to witness that. he hadn’t found out until later that Kamina had been killed and though this wasn’t the first time Simon had talked about it, the details were new. He was willing to bet that no one else knew exactly what had happened.

“Spiral energy can be used to evolve and to heal. You’ve seen what it’s capable of. But it can also be used to continually regenerate something. A human, even Gurren Lagann. It looses it’s affect on machinery quickly once you remove it but it won’t loose it’s affect on me unless I choose to let it. Even then I could just start it up again, I won’t age decades over night.”

“But why?” Viral asked, unable to stop himself. Simon gave him a strange look but answered him anyway.

“At first because I wanted to see if I could, then because you were my friend and I didn’t want you to be alone forever if you didn’t have to be.” He paused and closed his eyes. “I never intended to do it at all, that first year I’d decided to live out my remaining life roaming and exploring. Leave watching the galaxies to you and the others, but then I met you again and well…”

Viral knew he was blushing, even if the stars weren’t bright enough for Simon to see it.

“It was a year afterwards, when you first went on a mission that I decided to start, to see how long it would last. I wasn’t certain at first, I need to sleep and eat… but I’ve taken images of myself, ran checks and I’m physically no older than I was 12 years ago. Though I’ll take it as a complement that you added on an extra couple of years.” He smiled and Viral returned it easily. “I honestly thought you knew.”

Viral shook his head. “I knew, but I didn’t think it was for me, I’m not sure what I thought.”

“But I confused you earlier when I said we were here to keep an eye on things.” Simon shook his head and leaned further into Viral. “For me that’s not enough reason to keep living, not voluntarily,” he added quietly, resting his weight against his partner. “I didn’t and don’t want you to go through this alone. Spiral energy should be eternal unless it’s used to destroy it’s self, so I might be with you for the rest of your life. I can’t promise you forever, but I’ll try.” His voice was so, so quiet that Viral could only just hear him.

“Simon,” he choaked out. “That’s…it’s….” too much.

“I wanted to do it as your friend, once I realised that it was possible. I never expected us to be what we are now.”

Viral nodded, knowing it was true as flashes of their last major fight flickered through his mind. Simon hadn’t considered the two things linked, had been willing to try and live forever so that he wouldn’t be alone.

“But what about Nia?” Viral knew Simon believed in an afterlife, he’d seen his brother in dreams and when the anti spiral had locked them all away within their own minds.

Simon sighed. “She’s not… I don’t think she’s there.”

“Simon.” Viral couldn’t hold back the anguish he felt at the admission. Somewhere in the back of his mind he had always thought Simon would one day leave him, that he wouldn’t be able to hold on any longer, that he would return to Nia. “What makes you think that?”

‘We talked about it, the two of us in that week before the wedding. When she became their messenger it changed everything about her and when she let go, when she…”

“Simon.” Viral placed his hand on his leg, he wanted to do more, wanted to fold himself around the man next to him and hold him until his pain went away. He didn’t though, it wasn’t what Simon wanted. This pain was old but it still needed voicing every now and again and Viral would do as he always did, listen and comfort.

“I don’t think they have an afterlife, she was only human in appearance and my Spiral energy couldn’t touch her…. there was nothing we could do, but Nia, Nia…” Viral felt Simon’s hand come to rest on top of his. “We spent the week together, tried to fit a honeymoon and a marriage into the only time we had left. I would have done anything to save her, anything and yet… she reassured me, told me life would continue on without her as it had my brother.” There were tears down his cheeks now and Viral slipped his other hand out of the blanket to wipe them away, he was gentle, always careful of his claws. Simon closed his eyes at the contact and leaned into Viral’s hand, which covered the side of his face and head. “She told me that she didn’t think she had an after, that once she was gone that she wouldn’t exist outside of my memories. I don’t know if she said it to comfort or to stop me from doing anything stupid…. but I promised her I would live on, just in case she was right. I just didn’t think my life would be as long as I now hope it is.”

“And you think she was right?” Viral managed to say around the lump in his throat, somehow that was sadder, a worse fate than his eternal life, for Simon to die and still be without her.

“I don’t know, it doesn’t matter anyway. Nia would want me to do exactly what I have been doing, I realised it that night you made me confront everything.” Simon tried to smile but even to Viral it looked sad.

“Simon… Simon you don’t…”

“Have to? I know, I do, that’s why I’ve never mentioned it. I knew you would figure it out eventually but I made this decision years ago, when, aside from our more adventurous meetings, you were my best friend.”

“So even if we weren’t together?”

“I’d still have been around, our friendship was enough - this is something more, something I didn’t think I’d ever have again and I almost lost.”  
Viral couldn’t disagree, though he hoped they would have made up somehow - with an infinity before them it would have been possible, just messy - but he realised now that Simon could have changed his mind, wandered and withered away without Viral every finding him again. It terrified him.

“I love you Viral, I love you so much.” Simon was crying again and this time Viral did move, slid his arms around him and felt Simon hold on as he turned to rest against him.

“I love you too,” Viral said against his hair. Simon’s tears continued and Viral closed his eyes tight, hoping that he was enough comfort.

Nia was and always would be a source of pain, a reminder of the life Simon should have been able to have and sometimes, when he was alone, Viral ached with knowledge that his happiness had come at a price. Simon had given almost everything he had to save the galaxy, their world and their friends and an old, pathetic fear would still try and find it’s way into Viral’s thoughts. He didn’t understand how he could be good enough compensation for what Simon had given up.

Simon pulled away, just far enough to see Viral’s face. “I’m sorry, I know you were only trying to figure things out.”

Viral shook his head. “No, it’s fine, it’s okay,” he soothed, using the blanket to wipe away more of Simon’s tears. He’d realised a long time ago that he had made peace with Simon loving Nia as well as him but it had taken Simon a little longer. “All this time I’ve been prepared to have a life with you for as long as you wanted to extend it, I didn’t realise that you wanted the same with me.”

“Viral, I thought you knew, when you made me face up to everything months ago - when you asked me what I wanted from us, what we were…”

“I didn’t know how long it would last or why you were doing it. We never talked about it… not really.”

“No, no we didn’t.”

“For a while, at least in the beginning, I thought that maybe it was a result of what we had been doing together,” Back then things had been hard and fast between them, Viral had let Simon fuck him which ever way he chose and had enjoyed every minute of it. They had been creative and used Simon’s powers in unusual ways, but it had been worth it, not only because it had given them both the release they needed, but it had brought them together.

“It might have been, but I don’t know.” Simon sighed, his tears had dried up but he still looked worn out. “I’m sorry there is so much I’ve never said, so much I expected you to know.”

“I should have asked,” Viral told him but Simon shook his head.

“No, no I understand why you didn’t. But please, you have to realise how much you mean to me. You’re not a consolation prize or someone I’m staying with because I can. Even if Nia, even if she was there, I would still make the same choice.”

“You can’t -”

“I can and I have, I don’t want to spend an eternity without you either. At first because of our friendship and that would always have been enough, but when I woke up next to you that next morning, when you smiled at me and pulled me back into bed… Viral, I won’t do it, so unless you ask me to leave, I’ll stay.”  
Viral shook himself out of his shock long enough to reach down and kiss him, Simon met him half way and surged up against him. His arms looped around Viral’s neck and his hands grabbed onto his hair. Viral pulled Simon up onto his lap and deepened the kiss, moaning into his mouth and tilting his head so that he could go deeper. He was careful - even after all these years - and kept his teeth a safe distance, didn’t bite down on Simon’s tongue when Simon attempted to take the lead and even let him, relaxing back against the stone behind them and enjoyed the sensations that washed all over him.

“Simon,” Viral panted, “I’m never going to ask you to leave.” I’ve just been so afraid that you would, even after everything. “I want to go with you, the next time you set out. I want this, us, I just… I still don’t think I’m worthy of it.”

Simon pressed his forehead to Viral’s and rested his full weight on his thighs. “You are, for a long time I was too caught up in everything to realise, but I’ve told you before, in all that time, I never went to anyone else, never laid myself out for anyone else to take. I could have done, so many times… but ever since I saw you in that prison and you came with us, I knew I could trust you. Only now I trust you with more than my life.”

“We’re idiots,” Viral breathed out after a minute, shaking his head.

Simon let out a bark of laughter. “Yes, we are. But if I’d told you before I don’t think I would have been able to explain things… it could have made them worse.” He cupped a hand around Viral’s face. “There isn’t anything else to tell you now though, nothing I’m hiding or not mentioning, aside from that maybe Boota has been benefiting from Spiral energy and that we might be sharing our eternity with him.”

“As long as it’s eternity and not the bedroom, I can live with that.”  
Simon laughed again but his red and puffy eyes still showed his pain and Viral held him close, ran one hand over his head and the other rested low on his back. Simon yawned and tucked his face against Viral’s shoulder and neck.

“We can head back inside,” he offered.

“We should, as much as I want to suggest staying out here, it never ends up being a good idea and I always ache in places I didn’t know I had.”

***  
Their bed was warm and welcoming when they were finally back inside and ready to sleep this time around. The moment they were under the covers, Simon had slipped back into Viral’s arms and settled against him. This would be one of those nights when they slept close and held on and though part of him wanted to stay awake to enjoy the feel of it, Viral could already feel himself allowing sleep to take him over. He was mentally exhausted and wanted to rest.  
They didn’t say anything else, just drifted off to sleep together but Viral felt settled, relieved and happy in equal measures and most of his lingering fears had been put to rest. Even Simon seemed happier, lighter.

“Good night Simon,” Viral whispered against his head, before closing his eyes and falling asleep.

***  
The morning light was muted by their curtains, but it was still bright enough to wake him. Viral was still asleep, though Simon knew he wouldn’t stay that way for long. He sighed and sank back against the pillow, hid his head in Viral’s shoulder and closed his eyes to block out the light.

He could remember their conversation on the roof perfectly and felt relieved that it was finally all out in the open, though he was glad that Viral had at least known. Yoko had tried to ask him about it several times over the years, but he had always brushed it off. She’d told him once that eternity scared her, that although she could live one life time happy and content without Kamina, that more than that would be too much. Simon had nodded in understanding and let that be that. He loved her dearly and besides Viral she was the only close friend he had left. Over the years he had come to love and see her as an older sister, but he wouldn’t bestow the gift of eternity on someone who didn't want it.

He would ask Viral later how he felt about telling Yoko, letting her know why he hadn’t aged. She had likely guessed though, her gift boxes had started to contain more than aprons and embroidered cushions, the last one had made Viral laugh so hard, Simon had found him curled over the kitchen counter clutching the box it came in. They hadn’t used it yet, but Simon eyed the draw it was kept in from time to time.

Things in the bedroom had changed for them as well, they were softer, slower and at times more intense. Simon hadn’t ever felt so free and accepted by some one, or so unembarrassed. He knew that part of that was timing - or lack of - with Nia, but underneath he understood it was more than that.  
What he and Viral had together was special, worth keeping and if necessary, worth fighting for. He didn’t think it would come to that though. Not again, he had meant what he said when he’d told Viral he had no more secrets and had been honest when he’d told him he wanted his company.  
He’d even considered their future, the distant one where he wouldn’t be recognised anymore and could travel the universe at his partner’s side.

For now though, he was happy to stay right where they were, Viral starting to wake up and Simon convincing him to stay in bed just a little longer.  
He smiled when Viral’s arms tightened around him, rolled him onto his back and pulled the covers over them both, cocooning them away from the world for a little while longer.


End file.
